The Haunted Mask 3
by meguhanu
Summary: Years have passed and Carly Beth has forgotten about those horrible nights. But that Halloween night has returned. The haunted mask has come back one last time for Carly Beth. Evil Never Dies
1. Chapter 1

Carly Beth groaned as she rolled over in bed to turn off her alarm clock that was ringing seven o' clock. She turned the clock off and shoved the covers off her small body.

Carly Beth stood up and stretched out. She rubbed her eyes as she went over to her window and opened the shades. She smiled slightly when she saw the leaves that were falling from the trees. The entire town was covered with orange, pink, red, and yellow leaves.

Today was the day, the day of Samhain, Halloween. Carly Beth wasn't likely to forget what had happened all those years ago with the mask.

Carly Beth shrugged it off as she got dressed for school. She tossed on a black and grey long sleeved shirt and threw on some trashed ripped blue jeans. She tossed her now medium length blonde hair over her shoulders and ran downstairs.

She kissed her mom goodbye, shrugged her little brother, and hugged her moms' boyfriend who was currently sitting down at the table reading the newspaper.

"Oh Carly Beth," said Mrs. Caldwell.

"Yeah mom?" asked Carly Beth while rummaging through the cabinets.

"Remember that I'm working tonight and Damon here is going to be watching your brother while you are at Steve's Halloween party," said Mrs. Caldwell.

Carly Beth grabbed a package of pop tarts from the cabinet.

"That sounds fine mom. I'll be home by midnight," said Carly Beth and exited the door.

"Teenagers," said Noah as he finished his cereal.

Damon and Kate laughed together.

"I love those kids," said Damon as he flipped his hair back out of his face revealing his dashing good looks.

"They love you too," said Kate.

Every since the divorce of Kate and her husband, Ben it had been a little tough on the kids, but especially Kate.

Ben was now a successful banker in Colorado, leaving Kate with her kids.

But every cloud had a silver lining, and for Kate, this silver lining was her over a year boyfriend Damon, who was like a second father to the kids.

"Remember I'm going to be gardening at the Boswells' while you are gone," said Damon as he got up to head outside to tend to her garden.

"Oh you mean Steve Boswell? That house? Yeah, good luck. Nothing has grown in that garden since a few years ago," said Kate.

"I'll try my luck," said Damon and he left the kitchen.

"Bye," she said until she looked at her watch and got a move on herself.

Carly Beth ate her pop tarts on the way to school when she bumped into Sabrina, Steve, and Chuck.

"Hey guys," said Carly Beth as she finished the breakfast and walked next to them.

"You guys coming to my bash tonight?" asked Steve.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," said Carly Beth.

"Count me in," said Sabrina.

"It's not a party without me," said Chuck as he draped his arm around Sabrina.

"It's going to be such an awesome Halloween," said Steve.

"I know. I'm going to miss trick or treating," said Carly Beth.

"Yeah I know. It just seems like yesterday we were all out together going door to door getting candy," said Sabrina.

"Though there are some memories of Halloween better left forgotten," said Carly Beth now scared.

"We burned them," said Steve has he held her close while the four of them continued to walk to school.

"Yeah I know. I'm sorry. I'm just being paranoid," said Carly Beth as she threw on a smile and continued on the way to school.

Meanwhile, at the garden, everything that had been living had died a long time ago.

"Ok, that does it. There is something wrong here," said Damon as he continued to dig in the garden.

Then something caught his eye, something that didn't belong. It was a piece of cloth sticking out of the ground.

Damon reached down and withdrew a mask.

"Now what would this be doing here?" asked Damon as he cleaned the mask from the dirt that had crusted on it throughout the years.

He examined it closely.

It was a very gruesome mask that had a deformed face. It was green with a bald face with severely sharp animalistic teeth.

"Now this is a scary mask," said Damon.

He turned it over and slowly put it over his face.

His beautiful green eyes see out the two eyeholes and he looks around seeing the same images he saw when the mask was off.

Except if anyone was around, they would have saw that they eyes from the mask were not Damon's green ones, but they would see evil, animalistic, orange eyes leering back at them.

Damon started to feel the mask closing in on his skin, instead of being a breathable mask for the holiday. He grabbed it and took it off his head.

"Oh man. This is something else," said Damon as he looked around to make sure no one was looking. He put the mask in his truck and continued to work.

In the truck the mask had awakened. It slowly sat up in the front seat and peered out the window.

"Oh good," it whispered to itself.

"I need a host," it said again before letting itself succumb to the darkness until the host decided to put it back on.

In school, Carly Beth just could not concentrate. Her mind kept going back to those two previous years when the mask had taken her over then came back for the sequel. Carly Beth gazed outside and watched the wind blow the leaves into the street. She didn't see any trick or treaters because all the kids were in school.

Carly Beth continued to look through the trees, into the sunlight, and watched the leaves dance on the wind, while some decorations blew in the wind.

"It's going to be a great Halloween," Carly Beth told herself. Although in her heart, she had a feeling something really bad was going to happen.

Carly Beth finished her classes and then the bell rang, signaling the day was over.

Carly Beth walked out of the school and paid no mind to her friends. Right now she needed to be alone. Carly Beth took the long way home and walked further and further to that place, the place where it had all started.

Carly Beth looked up from walking and saw the beaten boarded up store. She read the letters. NOVELY SHOP.

Carly Beth felt a cool breeze and turned around to see that there was nothing there.

"Hello?" asked Carly Beth. There was no answer.

"Is somebody there?" she asked again. Again there was no answer except a breeze that sent leaves fluttering onto her sneakers.

"I am being paranoid. My God," said Carly Beth.

Although she had a feeling that something somewhere there was definitely something wrong.

Carly Beth went home and saw that Damon was back from work and was probably inside the house.

Carly Beth walked into her house and went straight to her room, ignoring Noah and Damon's voices coming from his room.

Carly Beth flopped down on her bed and breathed slowly.

She stared at her clock and it read 3:15. Steve's party was at 7:00. Stripping out of her clothes, she went into the bathroom to take a quick shower before getting into her sexy vampire outfit.

About 20 minutes later, Carly Beth exited the bathroom after washing her hair, washing her body, and shaving her legs.

She stepped back into her room and threw the towel down and started to get into her costume.

The hem was above her knees and the black silvery fabric hugged her curves in her young body perfectly. She put on the black make-up with some fake blood dripping down her mouth onto her chin and applied some onto her neck.

"Damon! I'm going to the party now! I'll be home around midnight!" she called out before she grabbed her keys and exited the house.

"Ok," said Damon as he himself was getting dressed for the trick or treaters that were soon to arrive at any moment.

He had a black suit on with a long flowing black cape that was matched with a big hood that stood over his head.

Getting the last of the costume out, Damon took out the mask he had found earlier in the day. He didn't show it to anyone because he wanted it to be a surprise.

Some surprise it was. Noah had already met up with his friends to go out trick or treating. There was no one left to scare except the victims that came to the door.

Damon put on the mask and tucked in the line in his black collar, but then he remembered that he had had a big supper and wanted to brush his teeth. Damon slipped the mask off and ran off to the bathroom and did his duty.

The mask was getting impatient, but he knew the goods would come to those who would wait, so it waited. One more time was all it needed.

Damon came out of the bathroom wiping his mouth and grabbed the mask off the counter where he had put it. And for the third time, he put it on.

The mask squeezed Damon's head and made sure he had a good lock on his hose. The mask opened his eyes. He looked down and moved his hands, walked on his legs, and looked in the mirror. The body was his.

"This is it," said a voice. It was not Damon's voice. It was the masks'.

The Unloved Haunted mask was back.

It got his grip and silently slipped out the door and into the vast darkness of Halloween night.


	2. Chapter 2

Carly Beth walked down the crowded streets with her arms around her figure. She knew it was going to be chilly, but not this cold. She hurried on her way to get to the party.

While walking, she slowed her pace to gaze at the children who were also out and about running behind her and in front of her in their scary costumes. They ran onto the leave covered lawns and up to the doors for their candy.

"Time flies," whispered Carly Beth as she stopped to watch the kids on the street.

She sighed heavily. Even though she was older, she missed trick or treating.

"Here I am missing it when Sabrina knows two girls who are 24 who still go out trick or treating," said Carly Beth as she giggled and shook her head.

Carly Beth then looked down at her wrist and the watch said it was 7:10.

"I'm already late," she said as she turned on her heel and went to Steve's house ready to party.

When she got there, she saw some people already going inside with music blasting from the house.

Mrs. Boswell was out at a local party and allowed Steve to have the party without her. Even Sparky, their dog, was put away upstairs in Steve's room to not freak out the guests.

Carly Beth walked up the stairs and into the living room which was crowded with people jamming to the music that was playing.

The entire inside house was in decoration just as much as the outside was for the holiday. The lights were off, strobe lights were turning on and off, the black and orange streams decorated the house. Skeletons, witches, black cats, ghosts, goblins, ghouls, zombie, werewolves, and vampires decked the house to put the final touch on it.

Carly Beth found Sabrina and Chuck who were dancing with each other.

Chuck was dressed as Michael Myers and Sabrina was dressed as Bloody Mary.

"Hey guys!" shouted Carly Beth over the music. She waved to them.

"Oh hi, Carly Beth! You made it! You look amazing!" shouted Sabrina as she hugged Carly Beth.

"Thank you! I love the blood!" shouted Carly Beth to Sabrina.

Chuck bowed at Carly Beth.

"Staying in character I'm guessing right Chuck?" yelled Carly Beth.

Chuck nodded his head. When ever did Michael Myers talk?

"Steve is playing host," said Sabrina in her normal tone of voice since the music stopped blasting and a slow song came on.

Chuck asked Sabrina for her hand and Sabrina smiled as she accepted it.

Carly Beth smiled as she watched her two friends dance. Carly Beth got some chips and a drink as she talked to some more of her classmates who came to the party.

"Hey, Carly Beth! Sexy costume!" said Steve as he came from the kitchen.

"Happy Halloween Steve," said Carly Beth as she smiled slightly.

"You having fun?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said back.

The door bell rang.

"Ugh. I can't escape the trick or treaters," said Steve as he grabbed the bucket of candy.

"You know what? Let me. You play host. This is your party," said Carly Beth as she threw her drink away and took the bucket out of Steve's hands.

"Oh thanks a lot Carly Beth. I've seen more kids than my guests," he said as he disappeared into the party.

"It's my pleasure," said Carly Beth as she exited the party and sat down on the steps and gave candy out to the neighborhood kids.

"Here you go," she said as she dumped a handful into each bag.

"Have a safe Halloween," she said as she watched them descend the steps and run to their parents or run next door.

"Hmm. Some part of me loves Halloween while the other part of me is telling me something is going to happen tonight," said Carly Beth.

The wind blew leaves right into Carly Beth's face which caused her to yell in surprise but then laugh.

The wind started to pick up and Carly Beth had to close her eyes to not get any leaves or dirt in her face.

"Carly Beth," said a voice on the wind.

Carly Beth's eyes widened. Had she seriously just heard a voice?

"Hello?" called Carly Beth.

She looked left and right and now the street was completely deserted.

There were no kids. There were no cars. It was empty.

The wind blew the Halloween decorations around in the vast darkness.

"Carly Beth," the voice came again.

Carly Beth was starting to shake. She stood up and let the wind play with her costume and blow her hair so it was tangled instead of sleek and shine.

Water blurred Carly Beth's vision as she tried to see who was calling her name.

Carly Beth left the bucket of candy on the step and descended the rest of the stairs staring straight ahead.

A tall big black cloaked figure stepped out of the Halloween night and into the street. The wind picked up the long flowing cape making the strangers' appearance seem even scarier.

"Who are you?" shouted Carly Beth unable to see the stranger's face.

"What do you want from me?" asked Carly Beth again, this time standing on the sidewalk, not daring to take one step farther.

The figure stood silent and still. He didn't move an inch. Then what after seemed like hours, the figure lifted his head so Carly Beth could see his face.

Carly Beth gasped loudly and covered her mouth in horror, while stumbling backwards and crashing into a Halloween decoration that was on the Boswells' front yard.

The masked figure that Carly Beth now recognized as the Novelty Shop haunted mask she had purchased more than three years ago took the first step off the sidewalk and into the street, descending on his prey.

"NO!" screamed Carly Beth walking and tripping more and more backwards.

"I burned you! You're dead!" she screamed again.

"Yes. I will never forget that," said the mask.

The mask reached out for Carly Beth, but Carly Beth lifted her boot and kicked him in the face while she made her getaway.

While trying to run, her gown was torn from the Halloween decoration she smashed into. She let it tear as long as her body got away. It left a big gash in her thigh which immediately started to bleed.

Carly Beth screamed in terror as she took to the streets screaming for someone to help her. No one came to her aid.

In her mind, she knew she couldn't go back into the party. She didn't want to endanger her friends.

Little did she know, her friends were there for her before and they would have been there for her again, if she had run to where she knew people were present.

Carly Beth didn't turn around and just kept running. She felt the blood from her cut run down her leg. There was nothing she could do to stop it from rushing down.

The haunted mask enjoyed the chase. It was almost just as fun as soon as he could get his hands on Carly Beth.


	3. Chapter 3

Carly Beth didn't know where her legs were taking her as she was running past Halloween decorated houses and past numerous number of trick or treaters that were surprisingly on this side of the streets and not on the main street.

Carly Beth shoved some aside, while listening to the complaints she got from the parents who yelled after her to watch where she was going.

She then zigged zagged in and out between some little girls who were out in a group dressed as the Disney princesses.

"Hey!" complained Ariel as she turned in a circle from the roughness that Carly Beth had forced on her.

"I'm sorry!" screamed Carly Beth as she went on Belle's left and continued running.

"Oh man! That girl got blood on my costume!" yelled Cinderella as she wiped the red liquid off her blue gown.

Carly Beth was running so fast, she had tripped a few times and almost fell to the leaf covered cement, but held her ground.

Carly Beth then turned into the forest in order to throw the mask off her trail. She ran for about five minutes until collapsing under a tree where. She panted hard trying to catch her breath and get back the use of her legs that were currently throbbing in pain.

"Oh God," she panted. She looked down at her injured leg which the blood stopped flowing and now was beginning to crust over.

She touched the wound and found it not to be too bad. She didn't even flinch. No way was Carly Beth going to need stitches.

"I don't believe this," she said to the forest as she slammed her fist down into the soft dirt beneath her.

Carly Beth then heard footsteps approaching from where she had run from on the street.

Getting behind the trunk of the tree, she sat in a ball while hand gagging herself in order to keep quiet.

"Carly Beth," spoke the mask as it got closer and closer to her hiding spot.

"You thought you were rid of me. How foolish of you. No. I wasn't destroyed in the fire. I have power, so much power. There is nothing you can do to stop me," he said.

It walked to where Carly Beth looked to her right and looked up to see the mask standing right next to her.

Carly Beth screamed and bolted up. She started to run left until the mask jumped her and pinned her down with his body on top of hers.

It lifted her up by her hair and slammed her against the tree trunk with his gloved hand around her neck cutting off her air supply.

Carly Beth struggled to free herself.

The mask got right on Carly Beth's cheek and purred at her, disgusting her.

"You cannot bury me, you cannot escape me. You are mine since the day you bought me at the store. Don't you see Carly Beth? You and I were made for each other. Together we can do extraordinary things," he said.

Carly Beth looked at the masks eyes.

She gritted her teeth in disgust.

"What do you want from me?" Carly Beth asked in a choked out voice.

"What I want is for you to come with me. Be with me. Wear me forever and eternity," said the mask.

"And if I refuse?" asked Carly Beth who now had some of her voice since the mask had loosened his iron like hold on her throat to allow her to breathe.

"If you do, I will kill the ones you love, starting with that fool Steve who had so graciously destroyed your 'symbol of love'," said the mask.

"You leave them out of this!" yelled Carly Beth as she lifted her leg and kicked the mask in the balls.

The mask released Carly Beth to comfort his pain while Carly Beth tried to run past the mask, but the mask recovered quickly. He managed to get his arm around her neck and pull her backwards into his chest. His other arm held tight to her arm.

He had her.

"This can be easy or hard Carly Beth. It's your choice. Decide," said the mask.

"Never," said Carly Beth as she again lifted her foot and stomped hard on his foot while she tried to bite him.

Carly Beth fought back with all she had.

The mask was surprised. He didn't know Carly Beth was this aggressive.

She managed to get him to release her and she ran back to the street just in time to bump into some more costumed kids.

Carly Beth apologized while she ran down the street.

"Did you see that girl?" asked a girl who was dressed up as a devil.

"Yeah, her costume was wicked," said a boy dressed as a zombie.

They agreed while they walked down to some more houses for some candy.

The mask had waited until they kids had passed before stepping out into the street and once again picked up the chase.

Carly Beth ran to her street and up to her house.

She got the key that was hidden under the pumpkin and unlocked the door.

She bolted into the dark house while locked the door behind her.

Carly Beth ran room to room, making sure the entire house was locked up tighter than a coffin.

She panted and sobbed loudly.

She grabbed a knife from the kitchen and held it close to her chest.

She went over to the couch. Carly Beth kneeled down in her ripped gown, her breathing getting quieter and quieter. She stayed low, her knuckles turning white from gripping the knife so tightly.

Any little noise made her jump.

She saw tiny figures outside. She knew it was just the neighborhood kids coming up from the streets to get candy. Her mother had left the bucket of candy out seeing as how no one was home to hand out the candy.

The kitchen clock ticked loudly.

Carly Beth looked at the electric clock and it said 10:09.

Carly Beth had an idea. Standing up from her kneeling position, Carly Beth went over to the television and picked up the phone.

She sighed as she pressed the "talk" button and waited for a dial tone, but there was none.

Carly Beth then looked back over at the clock and it was blank.

Carly Beth tried the light switch and the light didn't go on.

There was no thunder storm. That's when reality really shot her in the face. She was in trouble. She was going to be killed on this Halloween night.

Someone had cut the power lines and the phone lines to the house


	4. Chapter 4

Carly Beth slowly made her way over to the window to peek out to see who or what was outside causing the shadows to play on the walls of her house.

She held her breath while she slid the knife over the blinds and peeked out.

The streets were semi empty with the older kids now out and about collecting candy. Carly Beth left the shades and walked slowly over to the front door.

She had already locked it, and she slowly reached up with her unarmed hand and unlocked the door.

Before she could open it up, it burst open by a strong force, which sent her flying backwards into the stairs.

Carly Beth didn't stay down long. She bolted up and ran up the stairs away from the evil being which was now in her house.

"Go away!" she screamed.

"Leave me alone!" she yelled as she ran, still holding the knife.

She took a left into her room. She slammed the door and locked it. She didn't even look back as she went over to her bedroom window. She unlocked the hinges, lifted the window up, and raced out it.

_I can't go the neighbors for help. They will think I'm insane,_ thought Carly Beth.

She heard the banging and splintering of her door and knew that the mask was inside her bedroom.

Carly Beth didn't stop. She didn't say anything.

She just ran back into the Halloween night.

The mask looked out the window and saw Carly Beth half limping and half running down the street.

"You think you can escape me?" asked the mask.

"You are putting off the inevitable," said the mask as he exited the broken down door of the house.

Carly Beth knew she had to escape the mask. SO far this night, all it had been was a big game of cat and mouse. And so far the mouse had escaped, but it couldn't keep it up for long.

Carly Beth looked behind her through her hair which had plastered itself all over her face. So far there was no sign of the mask anywhere.

"This can't go on," said Carly Beth.

"This has got to end," she said.

She started walking to the place where this had all started. She fixed her destination of the Novelty Shop, which last time she visited was all boarded up.

"I have no choice," she said.

The mask walked the streets as well, ignoring the looks he got from some of the teenagers and screams of the younger kids. He could sense Carly Beth. He had that connection with her.

He stopped at a crossing in the street. He looked ahead, he looked left, and then right.

"You think you can escape me?" he asked aloud to himself.

"My dear, no matter where you go, no matter what you do, I am going to find you," he said as he walked straight.

Carly Beth crossed the railroad tracks and collapsed. She had mostly run all the way there.

"Shopkeeper!" she tried to yell, but with all the screaming she had done earlier, her voice had faded.

"Please!" she said as she crawled to the cement.

Carly Beth tried to get her bearings. Her leg had hurt her still but all the blood had stopped running. But a new problem had arisen after she had tripped over the tracks.

Her right leg had hit a protruding railroad nail and had sliced her skin open, causing a deep gash. The blood reached the surface of her skin and spilled over.

Carly Beth screamed at the pain while she looked down at her wounds. She could tell she was going to need medical attention for these injuries.

"God Damn it!" she yelled. She punched the ground. She pulled herself along.

The knife she had taken from her house she had dropped along the way here.

"Please! Somebody help me!" she called as she lowered her head and cried.

As she was crying, someone did come and help.

"Carly Beth?" the male voice asked.

Carly Beth looked up and to her joy the shopkeeper was in front of her, his hand outstretched to help her up.

"Thank God," she said as she put her hand in his and he helped her up.

"Your leg," he said as he inspected the damage to her leg.

"That's not important right now. He's back and he's after me," said Carly Beth.

"It's back?" asked the shopkeeper.

"He wants me," said Carly Beth as the shopkeeper carried her bridal style into the basement of the Novelty Shop.

"It hurts," said Carly Beth as she was lowered on table.

"I know, lets' try to stop the bleeding while I call the paramedics," said the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper got the first aid kid he had on the wall and made Carly Beth put a white pad over the wound.

"Keep pressure on that," he said as he took out his cell phone and called 911.

"What about the mask?" asked Carly Beth.

"I thought you took care of those years ago," said the shopkeeper while he waited for someone on the other end of the receiver to pick up.

"I thought I burnt it along with Steve's' that night," said Carly Beth as she winced in pain.

"Apparently this one won't stay dead," said Carly Beth.

"It was never alive. It's like a parasite. It needs a host to survive," said the shopkeeper who was pacing backwards and forwards waiting for someone to pick up.

"Then how do we kill him?" asked Carly Beth.

"I can't do it. Only you can," said the shopkeeper, dropping the cell phone only to find out the battery was dead.

"Damn it!" yelled the shopkeeper.

"I have to go use another phone," he said as he started to leave.

"Don't leave me please!" yelled Carly Beth reaching for his arm and looking up with him with pleading eyes.

"I will be right back," said the shopkeeper.

"No please?" asked Carly Beth forgetting about her own injuries.

"You have to stay here. I promise I will be right back ok?" asked the shopkeeper and with that he was gone.

"I don't want to be left alone," sobbed Carly Beth.

"Who says you are alone?" asked a mystery voice from the shadows.

"Who's there?" asked Carly Beth getting even more scared.

"You know who I am," said the voice as it appeared out of the darkness.

Carly Beth screamed as the mask came out.

She tried to get off the table and run, but the mask took advantage of her weakened state.

It grabbed her leg, pulled her towards him, and held tight to his catch.

"My dear Carly Beth. It was quite a chase tonight. The fun is over now. Get ready for the main event," said the mask.


	5. Chapter 5

Carly Beth had been caught again.

The mask had her in his vice like grip.

"Please let me go," said Carly Beth in a begging voice.

"No, you are mine. You've been mine ever since you came into that room that Halloween day," said the mask.

"I belong to no one," said Carly Beth.

"Oh but my Dear Carly Beth, you do," said the mask. It took his hand and touched her golden hair, brushing it through his fingers.

Carly Beth widened her eyes.

"I. BELONG. TO. NO. ONE," said Carly Beth as she leaned forwards down towards her feet.

She then slammed her head backwards and hit the mask in a head butt. The mask yelled in pain as it released Carly Beth just enough for her to run up the stairs to the main floor of the Novelty Shop.

She slammed the door shut that led to the basement while picking up a piece of wood and jam it in the lock of the door.

"Help!" screamed Carly Beth stumbling in the darkness.

The Shopkeeper came out from the black. He caught Carly Beth in his arms.

"What's wrong? I thought I told you to stay put," said the Shopkeeper.

"He's here," said Carly Beth as she hung tight to the Shopkeeper.

The door banged once.

Carly Beth screamed causing the Shopkeeper to jump.

The door banged once more.

This time both the Shopkeeper and Carly Beth got startled.

"He's trying to break the door down," said the Shopkeeper.

"Where's the front door?" asked Carly Beth trying to get her bearings as she tried to remember from all those years ago when she first walked in the front door.

"It's useless," said the Shopkeeper.

"It's boarded up from the outside. We are trapped," he said.

"The only way out is past the mask," said the Shopkeeper.

The door banged one more time and this time the door gave way. Carly Beth and the Shopkeeper heard wood splintering, clattering onto the floor followed by footsteps.

"Is there any way to defeat it?" asked Carly Beth as her and the Shopkeeper stepped backwards into a wall until they themselves had nowhere to run.

"You tried burning it and burying it. Nothing has worked. I never should have created the "Unloved Masks" in the first place," said the Shopkeeper.

Just then it hit Carly Beth.

"That's it!" she cried out with a glimmer of hope.

"What's it?" asked the Shopkeeper, turning her to look him in the eyes.

"They are unloved! That means that if they are loved, they can be defeated! I have to love the mask! Then this nightmare will be over once and for all!" said Carly Beth.

"That's great!" said the Shopkeeper.

"But is it possible?" he asked.

"Anything is if we just believe," said Carly Beth.

"So tender," said the mask as it rounded a corner and looked at his prey. He was one with the shadows.

"You can't defeat me. You have to embrace me," said the mask.

"I'm through running," said Carly Beth as she released herself from the Shopkeeper and stepped forwards towards the mask.

"You have made my life hell. Halloween was always horror for me. Ever since you arrived into my life, all it's brought is heartache, disaster, and sorrow. I made a mistake when I bought you. Take my word when I say this is the last time you will ever see the light of day," said Carly Beth.

Limping on her legs, she stood face to face with the haunted mask.

The mask looked down at her.

"Nice try Carly Beth. But now you are mine!" said the mask as it grabbed her by her arms and brought her petite body close to his.

Carly Beth saw her chance and leaned in to kiss the mask.

It worked.

The mask was taken aback by this action.

He didn't lean into the kiss. He couldn't even break it. Something was preventing him from resisting.

Carly Beth closed her eyes as she kissed him.

_You are now loved. You are now loved. You are now loved, _she thought as she continued the kiss.

The mask gasped loudly enough for Carly Beth to pull back away.

She watched in horror as the mask shook and screamed. He put his hands on his head as it began to melt away. It seared and peeled off its' host body.

It fell to the floor in a pool of green slime. It wasn't more than the size of a quarter until it melted away to nothing.

The host of the mask looked around.

"What happened? Where am I? And what in the world am I wearing?" asked Damon.

"Do you remember anything?" asked Carly Beth.

"Not a lot. Bits and pieces of it," said Damon.

"I will explain everything later. It's a long story which will be told another time," said Carly Beth as she hugged her mother's boyfriend tightly.

Damon took in Carly Beth's look.

"Oh my God. Carly Beth! What the hell happened to you?" he asked as he just noticed her trashed look.

"Happy Halloween," said Carly Beth sarcastically. She turned her attention to where the mask had melted.

Carly Beth walked over to the spot on the floor. She touched the floorboard and felt nothing.

"It's finally over," she said.

"Yes Carly Beth. It is," said the shopkeeper as he lifted her up by her forearms.

"Can I go home now?" asked Carly Beth.

"I will take you," said the shopkeeper.

Carly Beth, the shopkeeper, and Damon all walked down the stairs to the basement and out the door.

Halloween night was still happening, but there were no more kids trick or treating on the streets.

The clock tower nearby tolled three times, signaling it was 3 in the morning.

"Halloween was over three hours ago," said Carly Beth.

"So it was," said the shopkeeper as he helped Carly Beth along. Her wounds were crying in pain. Thanks to Damon; who had plenty of experience after some garden accidents; had managed to get Carly Beth's bleeding under control.

As soon as Carly Beth saw her house, it was surrounded by police cars. The lights were going off in a frenzy. Her mother and younger brother were on the porch.

"Here is my house," said Carly Beth.

"Oh my God! Carly Beth!" screamed her mother.

She flew off the porch and hugged her daughter.

"You said you were going to be home 3 hours ago. Where were you? Why are you hurt? And what happened to your costume?" she asked.

"Mom it's a long story. Can we talk about it in the morning?" she asked pleadingly.

"Of course sweetie," she said as she hugged her again.

Kate then turned her attention to Damon.

She smiled politely at him.

Then Kate saw the Shopkeeper.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"He's an old friend of mine," said Damon putting his arm around the Shopkeeper.

"He helps with the gardening in another town. He's here visiting me," said Damon covering for the shopkeeper.

Kate turned her attention to the police.

"Thanks for everything," she said.

"We will be in touch," said the officer as he exited the scene.

Carly Beth, Kate, Noah, Damon, and the Shopkeeper all went into house for some well earned rest and coffee.

Carly Beth was last to enter to the house.

She stopped near the doorframe.

She turned around and looked into the night.

"Happy Halloween," she said to the night before she turned around, entering the safety of her beloved home.

THE END


End file.
